Mountain View, AR

Soft Washing a Metal Roof in Mountain View, AR

Q: Do you walk on the roof?

Not on this one - the whole job was worked from a ladder at the edge. Metal is slick underfoot and the panels dent under a person's weight.

Q: Why does a metal roof go green or grey if it never needs maintenance?

Metal does not rot or lose granules, but it holds organic growth anywhere it sits in shade or stays damp. That is what dulls the panels.

Q: Will rain eventually wash a metal roof clean?

No. Rain moves loose dust and leaves behind what is actually holding the color. It takes an application that kills the growth, then a rinse to carry it off.

Q: Do you clean windows inside and out?

Yes. On this visit the main sunroom windows were cleaned on both faces.

A metal roof is the low-maintenance one, but shade and damp still dull it, and rinsing will not move what is growing on it. This roof was soft washed section by section at low pressure, worked from a ladder rather than walked on, and the main sunroom windows were cleaned inside and out the same day.

Clean metal roof and dormer on a Mountain View Arkansas home after roof soft washing

Photos

Four before and afters, same day.

Metal roof panels in Mountain View Arkansas before soft washing, dulled and greyed — Before: the right run. The panels have gone flat and grey-green where they stay damp.

Metal roof panels in Mountain View Arkansas after soft washing — After: the same run, rinsed clean. The panel finish is bright again rather than just lightened.

Dormers and metal roof before soft washing on a Mountain View Arkansas home — Before: the middle section, with the dormers and the stone chimney.

Dormers and metal roof after soft washing on a Mountain View Arkansas home — After: the same section. The sky is darker in this frame and the roof still reads brighter.

Metal roof and dormer before soft washing on a Mountain View Arkansas home — Before: the left section, which is the clearest of the four comparisons.

Clean metal roof and dormer after soft washing on a Mountain View Arkansas home — After: the left section, back to an even white across the whole run.

Main sunroom windows before cleaning at a Mountain View Arkansas home, looking out to the deck — Before: the main sunroom windows, shot from inside looking out over the deck.

Main sunroom windows after cleaning at a Mountain View Arkansas home, looking out to the deck — After: the same view, both faces cleaned and the tape removed.

The Problem

Metal is not maintenance free.

Metal gets sold as the roof you never have to think about, and mostly that is true - it sheds water, it does not lose granules, it lasts. What it does not do is stay clean. Anywhere the panels sit in shade or stay damp after a rain, organic growth takes hold, and the panels go from bright to a flat, greyed-out green that creeps across the whole run.

The frustrating part is that it does not rinse off. Water alone moves the loose dust and leaves behind everything that is actually holding the color, which is why a roof can be rained on for months and look no better. That was the case here across all three sections - the right run, the middle section with the dormers, and the left.

Job Attributes

Property Type: Two-story home, barn-style roof with dormers
Surface: Metal roof panels
Service: Roof soft washing
Method: Low pressure, worked from a ladder
Also This Visit: Main sunroom windows inside and out, main deck pressure washed
Location: Mountain View, AR - Stone County

The Process

Low pressure, from a ladder, section by section.

The roof was soft washed one section at a time: an application left to do its work, then a full rinse to carry the dead growth off the panels. No scrubbing, and no high pressure at any point. On a metal roof that matters twice over. High pressure drives water up under the panels and back through the seams where it has no business being, and it wears on the painted finish - and that coating is the only thing keeping the metal from corroding. Damage it and you have started a far more expensive problem than a dirty roof.

The whole job was worked from a ladder at the edge rather than from up on the panels. Walking a metal roof is its own risk: it is slick underfoot, and the panels dent under a person's weight. On the same visit the main sunroom windows were cleaned inside and out, including removing tape that was still on them, and the main deck was pressure washed.

Scope Table

Metal roof - right, middle and left sections	Included
Main sunroom windows - exterior and interior	Included
Tape removal from the glass	Included
Main deck	Included - pressure washed, not photographed
Gutter cleaning	Not included - quoted separately
Siding	Not included

The Result

The finish came back bright.

All three roof sections came back to a clean, even white - clearest on the left run and the dormers, where the before and after photos are the same roof on the same afternoon. Nothing was scrubbed, nothing was walked on, and the coating was left intact. Inside, the main sunroom windows went from hazed to clear on both faces.

Our Recommendation

Metal roofs do not need cleaning often, and once a year is more than most of them need. The sections that stay damp longest are the ones that grey out first, so let those set the schedule rather than the calendar.

Job Video

Watch the full walkthrough of this job.

FAQ

Questions customers usually ask.

Can you pressure wash a metal roof?

You should not. High pressure drives water up under the panels and back through the seams, and it wears on the painted finish. That coating is the only thing keeping the metal from corroding, so a pressure washer trades a dirty roof for a far more expensive problem. This roof was low pressure from start to finish.

Is soft washing safe on a metal roof?

Yes. Soft washing works by application and dwell time rather than force, so nothing is being blasted off the panels and the finish is never scoured. That is exactly why it is the right method for coated metal.

Do you walk on the roof?

Not on this one. The whole job was worked from a ladder at the edge. A metal roof is slick underfoot and the panels dent under a person's weight, so staying off them is both safer for whoever is up there and better for the roof.

Why does a metal roof go green or grey if it never needs maintenance?

Metal does not lose granules or rot, but it does hold organic growth anywhere it sits in shade or stays damp after rain. That is what dulls the panels. It is a surface problem rather than a roof problem, which is why cleaning fixes it.

Will rain eventually wash a metal roof clean?

No. Water moves the loose dust and leaves behind what is actually holding the color, which is why a roof can be rained on for months and look no different. It takes an application that kills the growth, then a rinse to carry it off.

Do you clean windows inside and out?

Yes. On this visit the main sunroom windows were done on both faces, which is the only way it reads as clean - one side done and the other left is still a dirty window.

Do you soft wash roofs in Mountain View?

Yes. Mountain View is home for Abright, and roof soft washing is part of the regular service list here along with Fairfield Bay, Greers Ferry, Heber Springs, Batesville and Mountain Home. Most quotes are handled over the phone.

Customer Review

Window washing, pressure washing and soft washing.

"I had Landry with Abright Exterior Cleaning do some window washing, pressure washing and softwashing for me. I was highly impressed with his work and professionalism. I highly recommended!!!"

Jonathan B., Mountain View, AR

A Brighter Exterior Guaranteed.

Ready for a free quote? Call or text (870) 705-5571 with your address and what needs cleaning. Abright follows up with a written quote by text or email. If you're not satisfied with the brightness of your exterior, we'll come back and make it right.

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Back to Our Work

Abright Exterior Cleaning
122 E Main St #102
Mountain View, AR 72560
(870) 705-5571
info@abrightexteriorcleaning.com
Mon-Sat, 8 AM-6 PM
Stone, Baxter, Independence, Cleburne & Izard Counties, AR